Tribunal winner hands in resignation

An accident and emergency department clinical director who won an employment tribunal case after being victimised for raising concerns about working practices and patient safety has resigned days before returning to work.

Dr Alison Gammon has resigned from Stoke Mandeville Hospital trust just weeks after the trust accepted that she had 'suffered detriment as a result of making a public interest disclosure in October 1999'. She was due to return to work last month, having been on sick leave for around a year before the tribunal case.

The problems raised by Dr Gammon related to concerns she and other staff members had about the work of another consultant in A&E. Though the trust accepted that Dr Gammon had been victimised and agreed to an independent external manager looking into the handling of her disclosures, HSJ understands that she did not believe the agreement had been adhered to. Both parties agreed at the hearing not to discuss case details in public.

Stoke Mandeville Hospital trust interim chief executive Fiona Wise said she could not comment on the case, as it was unclear if Dr Gammon intended to take any further action against the trust.

The no-star trust is still investigating allegations over waiting-list irregularities made against chief executive Sue Nicholls, who has been suspended since June.

Two other senior managers have since resigned in connection with the allegations.